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Dirty Disco 576: A Deep Dive into Soulful House, Nu Disco & Global Rhythms Kono Vidovic
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Dirty Disco 575: House, & Electronica – Your Guide to 2 Hours of Eclectic Grooves Kono Vidovic
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Dirty Disco 574: Soulful Grooves, Deep House & Fresh Nu Disco – 2 Hours of Musical Exploration Kono Vidovic
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Dirty Disco 572: Deep House, Nu Disco & Eclectic Electronica – A 2-Hour Sonic Journey Kono Vidovic
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Dirty Disco 568: Deep House, Disco & Eclectic Electronica – A Musical Journey You Can’t Miss Kono Vidovic
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Dirty Disco 567: Eclectic House, Disco & Electronica Bliss – A Musical Journey Like No Other. Kono Vidovic
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Dirty Disco 566: Soulful Grooves & Future Beats – A Deep House & Electronica Adventure. Kono Vidovic
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Dirty Disco 565: Rhythms of Nostalgia – A Journey Through House, Deep House & Nu Disco Kono Vidovic
Philippa’s journey from the lush landscapes of New Zealand to the vibrant streets of Berlin is as soulful as her music. In our previous interview, she took us on a city trip through her favorite Berlin spots, giving us a glimpse of the city that inspires her artistry (link to earlier interview here). Today, we dive deeper into her incredible story as a DJ, producer, and educator. From her early days in Auckland’s vibrant electronic scene to her unique take on house music in Berlin, Philippa opens up about authenticity, live instrumentation, and her stunning new release, Blue Skies. Let’s uncover the stories behind the beats and melodies of this inspiring artist.
The biggest challenges were homesickness and culture shock. New Zealand is isolated, down the bottom of the world, so getting to a place in my head and heart where I understood this new cultural environment was a challenge and took time. Tied up in that was the fact I missed DJing so much – I went from playing 3-5 times a week around Auckland and New Zealand to not playing at all in Berlin. Music production became a deeply needed primary source of expression from that point onwards.
Working in BPM Records in the late 90s and early 2000s was pretty fun. Probably the most important aspect of record stores is face to face contact with people and the community that grows around it. I was working amongst incredible artists of the NZ electronic music scene, and as such was schooled about the culture in ways I wouldn’t have been had I not worked there. Talking face to face is so important – knowledge mediated by algorithms and screens is problematic.
This is actually something I’ve been thinking about a lot recently. I teach electronic music and related subjects at tertiary level in an arts institution here in Berlin – so get to interact with entry level student ideas about what constitutes music composition – and I see an awful lot of splice loops jammed together, and people thinking (hoping?) this might be enough. Additionally with the onslaught of AI, there’s little to no difference between what an algorithm is capable of, and what someone placing spice loops together is making. The resulting music from this approach lacks both uniqueness and soul and I think dance music is suffering because of it.
There’s a further thing to consider here – digital products make perfectly produced sound that is not found in nature, whereas electronic instruments such as synthesizers and drum machines are tempered by the unique fluctuations of their electrical components and electricity, creating sound which has authenticity and time-based magic (an actual moment that happened) at its heart. This is one of the reasons hardware is so important, and why older house records, even incredibly simple in their compositions, had a warmth and vibrancy that’s often lacking from a lot of newer production.
I think it’s really important to get involved with hardware, to investigate traditional recording techniques, make friends with instrument players and vocalists, and to sample old records: look for authenticity of sound, warmth, soul – not the equivalent of UPFs.
The story of how the Blue Skies ep made its way to Fred’s ears is a convoluted one – suffice to say that the tracks from the Blue Skies ep are actually a couple of years old and had been sitting in the hands of another very cool label for quite a long time, but for one reason or another they weren’t moving on it. So I actually pulled the ep from them, with all friendliness – I just wanted the tracks to have a home. Fred heard about it in a roundabout way via another music industry friend, and sent a message asking to hear the tracks.
It was a very cool moment as I’m a fan of Fred Everything from way back – I actually played warm up for him at a gig in Auckland around 15 years ago. So we’ve met – not that Fred remembered, ha! (in his defense, we do meet an awful lot of people over the years in this industry)
Anyway this ep was written as a collection of soul tracks. Yes they’re house tempo and have a four to the floor kick drum – but I think, honestly, it’s a soul record, aimed directly at the home listener.
Fouk was an easy choice to take the title track into the club – I’ve been a big fan of their music for a long time. Additionally they’re just very nice funky people – as proper house heads tend to be. They nailed it – we’re all so happy with their remix. Thanks Fouk!
In the last year I put out a lot of deeper and more left field records, so it’s probably time I tried to bring it back to the club. That’s what feels exciting to me right now – to write club tracks again – so let’s see where that leads us.
Thanks for having me Kono!
A massive thank you to Philippa for sharing her heartfelt journey, creative process, and passion for authentic house music with us. Her story is a testament to resilience, reinvention, and staying true to one’s artistic soul. From the bustling BPM Record Store in Auckland to shaping the sound of contemporary house music in Berlin, Philippa has carved out a space that’s uniquely hers.
Her latest EP, Blue Skies, is a celebration of soul, warmth, and the magic of live instrumentation, blending jazzy elements with house grooves that transcend the dancefloor and invite you into a deeply personal listening experience. And let’s not forget Fouk’s dynamic remix, primed for the club!
This EP is more than music; it’s a journey, a sonic reminder of why house music remains timeless. Dive into Blue Skies today and let it soundtrack your own moments of inspiration. You can find it now on Lazy Days Recordings, where the beats speak louder than words.
DJ | MUSIC CURATOR & SELECTOR | PODCAST MAKER | BLOGGER Professional online interpreneur. Coffee practitioner. Electronic music culture maven. Total music guru. Infuriatingly humble problem solver. Food & sports fanatic.
Dirty Disco is back with Episode 575, and DJ Kono Vidovic has curated another unforgettable 2-hour journey through the best in house, nu disco, and electronica. Featuring exclusive tracks, fresh […]
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